Mad World
by istoletheworld
Summary: 'All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.' Severus Snape has long suffered from something darker than many have acknowledged. In a struggle to separate dreams from reality, he finds comfort in Hermione Granger.


**A/N: Basically, I wrote this a few days ago, high as a kite and feeling pretty good. At the time it seemed like a good idea to take note of my inspiration (Severus Snape + funky Luna Lovegood glasses + Jack Sparrow swagger + a magical Alice in Wonderland-esque world set deep in the forbidden forest) and I was tempted to not post it, but…I figure I owe whoever is still with me something, so…yeah. Hope you enjoy. Off we go! **

Mad World

SEVERUS P.O.V.

He stepped into the strange portal. Everything was shockingly bright and vivid, almost as if someone had personally commandeered the mysterious world as their own painting canvas. He looked around in wonder at the beauty of the strange place and vaguely took note of a blooming Wrakspurt colony to his left.

Brushing aside the pride that so often accompanied servants of his trade, Severus pushed the ridiculous glasses further up onto his capable nose, scanned the near greenery, and hesitantly stepped forth into the unknown. Elegant faerie swarmed the winding trees that inhabited the terrain, gazing curiously at their rather unusual visitor.

Outlandish monkey-like creatures with coarse, blue fur, and electric eyes swung through the trees, carelessly knocking a few faerie to the ground to get a better look at the rare trespasser. Severus almost felt sorry that the small creatures' disregard for their brethren's lives was due to his invasion.

Almost.

His carefully measured steps stumbled slightly as his impractical shoes hit a bump in the foreground. What appeared to be a small grey pebble lurched out of the ground and bared teeth as it became clear it that it was, in fact, a sentient creature.

Severus jerked backwards, studying the being incredulously and shaking his head in disbelief at its stone grey body, piercing yellow eyes, and sharp, dagger-like teeth. After a few half-hearted snaps and warning growls, the creature hesitantly began to lower itself back into its original position, curling around itself until only a small portion of its head was peeking from the earth. Guttural laughter followed him as he confusedly slid his way around the odd thing, unsure of turning his back on either it or the approaching land.

He finally conceded to his rational side and decided he would take his chances and trek onwards. Something caught his eye as he turned back around and he froze for a moment, searching for the disturbance that troubled him. A long moment later two hounds the size of Hagrid's still growing dragons burst from the lush forests and playfully bound towards him.

Young and naïve, they were curious and walked right up to the Potions Master, sniffing his hand and crouching submissively as he continued to move forward, trying his best to ignore them. Apparently satisfied with what they found, the hounds loped away, each to a separate side of the forest that surrounded him on both sides.

The eccentric faeries overthrew the monkeys and soon began fighting amongst themselves, shoving their towards the pups as they reached the heavily forested boundary between their territory and the open clearing Severus was carefully treading on, seemingly eager to hear news of the stranger. He was reaching the end of the clearing he was so lucky to have found, and soon he would either need to turn back, or scale the cliffs down to the mainland and risk finding nowhere to sleep that night.

Taking into consideration his lover's concerns, Severus quickly collected small samples of the bizarre land's fruits, grasses, and earth, though he dared not collect any of the tree bark the faerie protected so fiercely. Once again pushing up the ridiculous glasses Miss Lovegood had loaned him, he processed the magnificent view ahead of him provided by the steeply protruding cliffs he stood on.

Inhaling the forest's fresh air for the last time in what was sure to be a long time, the Potions Master sighed as he looked around at the creatures he had come to respect in their eclectic way of life. He remembered Hermione waiting for him and turned around, beginning the long hike back to his lovely wife and home.

Someday he would bring her here.

Someday.

**And there we have it! Hope you enjoyed that bit of madness. Please review!**


End file.
